EXHIBIT 5. EXPORTS (F.A.S. VALUE),  IMPORTS (CUSTOMS AND C.I.F.
VALUES) AND MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND NOT 
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: September 1998 TO September 1999

In millions of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to seasonal
adjustment and rounding. (R) - Revised.




                                   Trade balance
       Period                 Customs            C.I.F.
                                 Seasonally Adjusted
1998                 
Jan.- Dec.                  -229,758.4         -260,507.6
Jan.- Sep.                  -171,552.2         -194,303.3

January                      -15,923.6          -18,372.9
February                     -16,470.0          -18,859.3
March                        -18,831.2          -21,345.0
April                        -19,875.1          -22,362.6
May                          -21,191.2          -23,739.6
June                         -19,141.1          -21,666.0

July                         -19,731.5          -22,311.0
August                       -20,272.2          -22,931.1
September                    -20,116.2          -22,715.7
October                      -19,190.7          -21,893.2
November                     -19,409.5          -22,072.6
December                     -19,606.0          -22,238.4
                     
1999                
Jan.- Sep.                  -238,449.6         -263,822.2

January                      -22,225.1          -24,812.1
February                     -23,847.5          -26,482.6
March                        -24,416.3          -27,027.9
April                        -24,068.9          -26,717.6
May                          -26,543.3          -29,280.7
June                         -29,700.6          -32,676.0

July                         -30,192.8          -33,182.5
August (R)                   -28,808.8          -31,891.4
September                    -28,646.3          -31,751.3
October              
November             
December             
____________________                                      
      
                               Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                  -229,758.4         -260,507.6
Jan.- Sep.                  -170,490.0         -193,152.3

January                      -15,052.1          -17,407.3
February                     -13,160.0          -15,371.4
March                        -15,798.8          -18,371.0
April                        -19,068.9          -21,573.3
May                          -17,325.7          -19,805.1
June                         -19,923.9          -22,509.3

July                         -24,759.8          -27,417.0
August                       -22,593.6          -25,265.8
September                    -22,807.1          -25,432.1
October                      -22,398.5          -25,278.5
November                     -19,625.0          -22,256.7
December                     -17,244.9          -19,820.0

1999                
Jan.- Sep.                  -237,804.8         -263,169.2

January                      -19,475.1          -21,887.3
February                     -20,665.8          -23,111.2
March                        -23,704.1          -26,449.2
April                        -22,701.5          -25,355.8
May                          -24,284.1          -26,988.3
June                         -29,797.4          -32,819.4

July                         -33,511.9          -36,544.4
August (R)                   -32,254.7          -35,432.0
September                    -31,410.1          -34,581.6
October              
November             
December             
_________________________________________________________

                              Exports
       Period              F.a.s. value
                        Seasonally Adjusted
1998                 
Jan.- Dec.                   682,137.7
Jan.- Sep.                   508,012.7

January                       58,384.9
February                      57,319.8
March                         57,292.4
April                         55,989.9
May                           55,607.5
June                          55,919.7

July                          55,136.9
August                        55,943.1
September                     56,418.5
October                       58,400.7
November                      58,533.4
December                      57,190.8
                     
1999                
Jan.- Sep.                   513,147.7

January                       56,216.1
February                      55,816.2
March                         55,363.6
April                         56,263.0
May                           56,263.4
June                          56,673.1

July                          56,922.2
August (R)                    59,994.6
September                     59,635.5
October              
November             
December             
_____________________________________
  
                      Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                   682,137.7
Jan.- Sep.                   503,667.8

January                       55,172.0
February                      55,233.6
March                         62,296.8
April                         56,674.6
May                           56,672.2
June                          56,994.0

July                          51,577.5
August                        53,420.1
September                     55,627.2
October                       61,313.0
November                      58,394.8
December                      58,762.2

1999                
Jan.- Sep.                   507,650.4

January                       52,382.9
February                      53,442.9
March                         60,622.3
April                         57,250.0
May                           56,589.4
June                          57,953.0

July                          53,079.6
August (R)                    57,521.6
September                     58,808.7
October              
November             
December             
______________________________________

                                       Imports
       Period              Customs value      C.i.f. value
                                 Seasonally  Adjusted
1998                 
Jan.- Dec.                   911,896.1          942,645.3
Jan.- Sep.                   679,564.9          702,316.0

January                       74,308.5           76,757.8
February                      73,789.8           76,179.1
March                         76,123.6           78,637.4
April                         75,865.0           78,352.5
May                           76,798.7           79,347.1
June                          75,060.8           77,585.7

July                          74,868.4           77,447.9
August                        76,215.3           78,874.3
September                     76,534.7           79,134.2
October                       77,591.5           80,294.0
November                      77,943.0           80,606.0
December                      76,796.8           79,429.3

1999                
Jan.- Sep.                   751,597.3          776,969.9

January                       78,441.2           81,028.1
February                      79,663.7           82,298.8
March                         79,779.9           82,391.6
April                         80,331.9           82,980.6
May                           82,806.7           85,544.2
June                          86,373.7           89,349.1

July                          87,115.0           90,104.7
August (R)                    88,803.4           91,886.0
September                     88,281.9           91,386.9
October              
November             
December             
________________________________________________________

                               Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                   911,896.1          942,645.3
Jan.- Sep.                   674,157.8          696,820.1

January                       70,224.0           72,579.3
February                      68,393.7           70,605.0
March                         78,095.6           80,667.7
April                         75,743.5           78,247.9
May                           73,997.9           76,477.3
June                          76,917.9           79,503.3

July                          76,337.2           78,994.5
August                        76,013.6           78,685.9
September                     78,434.3           81,059.3
October                       83,711.5           86,591.5
November                      78,019.7           80,651.5
December                      76,007.1           78,582.2

1999                
Jan.- Sep.                   745,455.1          770,819.6

January                       71,858.0           74,270.2
February                      74,108.7           76,554.1
March                         84,326.3           87,071.4
April                         79,951.6           82,605.9
May                           80,873.4           83,577.7
June                          87,750.4           90,772.3

July                          86,591.5           89,624.0
August (R)                    89,776.4           92,953.6
September                     90,218.9           93,390.3
October              
November             
December             

CONTACT: For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or
         Nick Orsini (301-457-2311) Foreign Trade Division or see 
         our web site at "http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/"

NOTE:  For information on more detailed data available, please see
       record titled "MORE DETAILED FOREIGN TRADE DATA AVAILABLE." 



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